Mother Daughter Teen Program                    

(for Mothers and their 13–16year old daughters) 

Welcome 

Stage is set for talking about God’s love and wisdom in His plan for each young person to grow up. The emcee will emphasize the goodness of being a girl and the fact that changes are supposed to happen. The girls will be put at ease and prepared for the presentations to follow. 

Opening Prayer  – Spontaneous and from the heart. 

Becoming a Woman in the Kingdom of God: 10 minutes 

This talk replaced “All in God’s Plan” from the Tween program. This is meant to be an encouraging message for young ladies in being strong, confident and bold in their faith as they grow up. The speaker should be a young woman beyond High School age, preferably college or after college-age, in her 20’s. She should be able to share the beauty of becoming a woman, and even possibly how she made it through the struggle of finding her place as a woman of God in this world. 

There is great power and gift in being a woman in the fight against evil, even amidst the confusion handed us by a culture that tries to tell us what it means to be a woman, which is often in direct contradiction to what God wants of us. Our relationships are changing at this age, with our friends, our mom, and the rest of our family. It is important to find friendships that will last, with people who share their values, and to never forget those relationships that will always be there (family!) 

Encourage the teens to look to the great diversity of the Communion of Saints. God has called women of all ages, backgrounds and vocations to accomplish His work and we are invited and privileged to look to the Virgin Mary as the ideal image of being a woman. Draw closer to God through prayer and the sacraments of Eucharist and Reconciliation! God has plans for each one of us and he will use us as instruments to bring about His glory 

All in God’s Plan–10 to 15 minutes 
Physical and Emotional Changes 

Most of the girls have started ovulating and having their periods so positive enthusiasm about femininity and womanhood are stressed as well as the importance of respect and setting high standards for themselves. The girls deserve to be cherished because each one is a precious creation of God, made in His image, with unique gifts and talents. 

The physical changes are discussed, but more in summary form. More emphasis is placed on their emotional changes, their need for love, assurance and acceptance by their parents and especially their peers, mood swings, the development of a stronger personality, and their desire for independence. 

Many girls in this age group are so worried about how they look and if they measure up to the usually unrealistic standards set by their peers and especially by the teen magazines that they fail to recognize their own beauty and goodness. They are encouraged to see who God sees, to be the best person possible and to trust God to lead the way. 

Authentic Beauty: Dressing for the Real You – 20 minutes 

Here we offer a solid message of modesty as a way of thinking vs a set of rules, keeping in mind that these girls are still teenagers living at home, and their parents may have rules that they need to respect and follow. 

This is a great opportunity because we have both teen girls AND their mothers in attendance, so both can learn something about each other’s perspective. The girls always like getting some practical and current tips on how to look cute and trendy while not showing too much. (Think layers and accessories.)

Preparation for Motherhood – Slide Presentation–30 to 40 minutes 

Understanding the Cycle, Fertility Appreciation, Effects of Hormones 

Preparation for motherhood and the importance of the gift of human fertility and the gift of each new baby is stressed. The tremendous power of human fertility deserves reverence and protection because of its sacredness uniting us with God in His creation of a new person. 

The slides help the girls and their mothers understand that God has designed their bodies in an awesome way. The gift of human fertility should never be taken for granted, and when they learn about fertility, they can understand and appreciate it. God’s design is discussed to help the young people understand His plan for their bodies and help them to see that growing up is to help prepare them for love, marriage, and a family in the future. 

Theology of the Body 

A 30-minute presentation introducing Saint John Paul II and his Theology of the Body. This will focus on the basics, introducing the girls to the concept of “Free, Total, Faithful, Fruitful” and how a teenage girl can apply it to her life and choices.

Our bodies speak a language, and the choices we make with our bodies speak a language. It is important to know that we can speak truth or lies with how we use our bodies. The TRUTH is that we are meant in our relationships to mirror God’s love. It’s what we were made for, to eventually be with God forever in Heaven, enjoying his eternal glory. 

We are given four aspects of God’s love to remember and model: God’s love is Free! Jesus gave himself freely to us, asking nothing in return. We speak truth to this free love by being generous friends without expectation of anything in return. God’s love is Total! He gives all of himself, to death on the cross, holding nothing back. God’s love is Faithful! He never abandons us or stops loving us. And God’s love is Fruitful! God’s love brings us live. Scripture says in Christ we are a new creation! Our bodies are GOOD and beautiful and designed by God. 

This talk comes after a break and before a 10 minute “Challenge to Chastity” so it is really meant to lay the groundwork for WHY these girls should choose to live chastely.   

Being a Spiritual Mother 

Here we talk to the girls about what spiritual motherhood means for one{s life. Typically the girls hear how the sisters heard their call to vocation, what they were like as a girl and how they feel like a mother to others even though they have not been a mother by birth. 

Challenge to Chastity – 6 to 10 minutes 

Personal Witness 

Here we present chastity as a desired and valuable virtue.  The challenge to chastity includes a challenge to the girls to discover who they are as precious creations of God so they can know real freedom, real love and real intimacy. 

Chastity can protect them from the many harmful effects of using their sexual powers outside of God’s plan. Chastity can give them the freedom to really love other people and to form deep bonding relationships based on respect instead of passion. Chastity is possible only with God’s help, and He expects it of every person He has created. 

The girls are encouraged to plan for their future now and decide that sexual activity belongs only in marriage. They can plan to be a virgin and to save the precious gift of themselves for their husband and to really celebrate their wedding day. They can begin praying for their future husband, for purity and sexual self-control for him as well as for themselves. 

Questions and Answers for the Panel from the Question Box –30 to 45 minutes 

A panel of speakers and a physician will answer questions placed in the box during the tea party. If any inappropriate questions are asked they are not covered during the presentation. 

The Choice is Yours–6 to 10 minutes 

Here we encourage the girls to make good decisions and help them understand that they are responsible for the choices they make. Once they make a choice, they have to be ready to accept the consequences that come with that choice. 

The girls are reminded that they are capable of making good decisions. Section includes hints on dating and the importance of being a good friend and to having lots of friends of both sexes who share their values. 

Girls are reminded about the dangers of alcohol and drugs and how these things can weaken their resolve to be chaste. 

This section ends on a positive note of hope and encouragement. 

Being a Mother–3 to 6 minutes (if time) 

This section is a short personal witness to the joys as well as the sorrows of motherhood. It is completely honest and directly from the heart of the speaker. 

Mothers are encouraged to love their daughters no matter what, to really listen to them, to be there for them and to let them know how important they are to their families. The girls need to know that being a mother is a great blessing from God, and hopefully, if marriage is their vocation, God will bless them with children. 

Evaluations and Closing